Thunderstorms, 55 MPH Winds Loom In Maryland Weekend Forecast

MARYLAND — High winds reaching 55 mph and rain are expected to smack much of Maryland this weekend as a storm front moves through, bringing with it the potential for severe weather with thunderstorms.

A fast moving storm front could deliver some showers late Friday night into early Saturday morning, but the greater likelihood of severe weather is on Saturday. While rain could hit early, showers are "likely" after 1 p.m., according to the National Weather Service, and a thunderstorm is possible into the evening before 10 p.m. Saturday.

A wind advisory will go into effect for Maryland starting at 4 p.m. Saturday. Sustained west winds are predicted from 15 to 25 miles per hour, and gusts up to 55 miles per hour could hit the area.

"Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects," the National Weather Service said in their advisory. "Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Secure any outdoor holiday decorations from blowing away in the wind."

The highest gusts are most likely between 6 p.m. and midnight Saturday.

The advisory will expire at 1 a.m. Sunday.

Counties in the wind advisory include: Carroll, Baltimore, Cecil, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Montgomery, Howard and Harford.

The advisory includesthe cities of Eldersburg, Westminster, Reisterstown, Cockeysville, Elkton, Baltimore, Bowie, College Park, Greenbelt, Laurel, Camp Springs, Glen Burnie, Annapolis, Severn,
Severna Park, Arnold, Odenton, Germantown, Damascus, Bethesda, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Silver Spring, Lisbon, Columbia, Ellicott City, Jarrettsville, and Aberdeen.

Here's the weekend forecast:

Friday: Cloudy, with a high near 52. Southwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.

Friday Night: A chance of showers. Areas of fog after midnight. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 46. East wind 3 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 69. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Saturday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 10pm, then showers likely between 10pm and 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 42. Southwest wind 15 to 18 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 47 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 48. Northwest wind 9 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 35.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 54.